Nestled in view of the North Shore Mountains of Vancouver Island is a gloriously female collective of jewellery makers; Wolf Circus. Founded by the extraordinary, Fiona Morrison who began making ad-hoc pieces for her close friends out of her parent's basement, Wolf Circus emerged in 2011 and began instantly charming the socks off a somewhat saturated and discerning market with her iconic boob necklaces.
Wolf Circus is thoughtfully designed, sustainably made and quietly elevates minimalism, individuality and femininity. Each piece is handmade in Vancouver using reclaimed and recycled silver, bronze and gold and is cast using a lost-wax casting process.
We've been Wolf Circus devotees since we discovered them back in 2019 so we were pretty excited to finally catch up with the visionary behind the brand, Fiona Morrison.
Tell us about your journey into jewellery design?
'It all began as an afterschool side project. I noticed a gap in the market for bold and conversation starting jewellery pieces which my friends at school could afford. The collection first began with thrifting necklace findings and wire wrapped crystals. (It was 2011! They were all the rage!) I would study at school during the day and then slang jewellery at night. My friends and school peers were my first customers.'
How did you arrive at the the name, Wolf Circus?
'When I told my parents I was going to start a jewellery line my loving mother looked at me fairly concerned and said, "Please go to school today and get an education" and my dad said, "Whatever you're going to do in life, it will turn into a circus". At the time I was into vintage wolf head t-shirts so the idea for the name came instantly.'
What do you most cherish about what you do?
'My team and finding ways to uplift them in their careers. It's been an incredible journey for myself and everyone who I work with.'
Where do you take inspiration from?
'It can be from anywhere! I love artists and sculpturists such as Jean Arp or Miro. Plenty of vintage inspirations as well from flea markets or old films. The charm collection we just launched was inspired by 90's summer iconic symbols and has a slightly more playful mood.'
If you were to send us a postcard from Vancouver...
'I'd send a vintage postcard of the mountains. I love getting to experience the outdoors so close to the city.'
What 5 tracks would go on a Wolf Circus mix tape?
Track One: Shaka Bundu - Penny Penny
Two: Disco Dancer - Kiki Gyan
Three: Castaways - The Backyardigans
Four: Le Soleil Dans le Monde by Domenique Dumont
Five: Fly me to the moon - Bobby Womack
Jewellery can often be such an intimate exchange between two people. Can you tell us about perhaps the first significant person you gifted a piece of Wolf Circus to?
'In the early days (and even still) I will often give the jewellery I'm wearing to strangers who compliment it as a fun surprise. There's nothing more intimate than giving someone the jewellery literally off your back! Recently a server was wearing our femme necklace and I was wearing our femme ring. She commented about how obsessed with it she was and now she has a matching set :)'
How has this year of the pandemic shaped the way you view your life?
'I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about shifts I’ve needed to make as a person and a small business owner, and how interconnected they are. As a small business owner, the capitalist mindset can be all consuming. The support we received from our community over the last year has been a welcome reminder to be more supportive of my own community. As Wolf Circus continues to grow, I want to make sure I am uplifting my team, our suppliers and retailers, and the many creatives and small brands that we are fortunate to work alongside with. As a brand we have a voice and I want to use it to be of service to others. I also got an Aussie Doodle named Louie. It’s been amazing exploring the world through his eyes and he’s a nice reminder that even when the world gets super busy, you still have to make time to go outside and roll around in the grass.'
What are your hopes for the near future?
'I hope to be back travelling and hosting pop-up’s in different cities. We have the most amazing customers around the world and I can’t wait to be in the same room together again.'
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